Maybe it's the endless bitter cold in Washington this week, but I am 100% craving all things beach, and since no island vacation is in the works at the moment, Australian stylist Tim Neve's coastal cool blog is exactly the thing to foot the bill. I was especially taken by his easy and inexpensive driftwood lamp, which hints at seaside modern without crossing the line of kitschy cliche.

Using an inexpensive lamp base from Target, shade from K Mart, and found driftwood pieces, Tim fashioned a fixture that contains every ounce of easy elegance as its store bought counterparts. I especially liked the addition of the string casually tied around the driftwood twigs, which as he notes, makes them look "as if they had been freshly gathered from the beach."